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Bahrain activist Khawaja ends hunger strike | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has ended his 110-day hunger strike, his wife says. | |
Khadija al-Mousawi told the BBC her husband started eating voluntarily on Monday evening. | |
Mr Khawaja, a Shia Muslim, is an outspoken critic of Bahrain's ruling Sunni royal family and has been convicted of trying to depose them. | |
Mr Khawaja's decision follows the release on bail of another detained Bahraini activist, Nabeel Rajab. | Mr Khawaja's decision follows the release on bail of another detained Bahraini activist, Nabeel Rajab. |
Mr Rajab was arrested on 5 May at Manama airport on his return from the Lebanese capital, Beirut. | Mr Rajab was arrested on 5 May at Manama airport on his return from the Lebanese capital, Beirut. |
He is charged with using social networking sites to incite illegal rallies and defame Bahrain's security forces. | He is charged with using social networking sites to incite illegal rallies and defame Bahrain's security forces. |
Protest 'success' | Protest 'success' |
Mr Khawaja, 51, began his fast as a protest against his imprisonment after being sentenced by a military court in June 2011. | |
Mrs Mousawi said he ended the hunger strike in part because he was being force-fed by two doctors at the prison where he is serving his sentence. | |
He also faced pressure from friends and colleagues to cease the fast and felt the strike had achieved its goal of drawing the world's attention to the anti-government movement in Bahrain, Mrs Mousawi added. | |
Mr Khawaja and 20 others were convicted of plotting to overthrow the state by the National Safety Court, a military tribunal. Seven of them, including Mr Khawaja, were sentenced to life. | Mr Khawaja and 20 others were convicted of plotting to overthrow the state by the National Safety Court, a military tribunal. Seven of them, including Mr Khawaja, were sentenced to life. |
His activist daughter Zainab is also in jail, serving a one month sentence after she was accused of abusing a policewoman during a protest last month. | |
But in April, Bahrain's highest court, the Court of Cassation, threw out their convictions and ordered a retrial, although they were not released. | But in April, Bahrain's highest court, the Court of Cassation, threw out their convictions and ordered a retrial, although they were not released. |
At a court appearance last week Mr Khawaja was in a wheelchair. Mrs Mousawi said that he intends to boycott the next court session which was due to take place today. | |
Mr Rajab, who has 140,000 Twitter followers, is a vocal critic of Bahrain's ruler, King Hamad al-Khalifa. | Mr Rajab, who has 140,000 Twitter followers, is a vocal critic of Bahrain's ruler, King Hamad al-Khalifa. |
Late Monday night, he tweeted: "I am free until further notice." | |
Lawyer Mohamed al-Jishi, who represents both Mr Rajab and Mr Khawaja, told the AFP news agency that his client had been ordered to pay 300 Bahraini dinars ($796; £500) and still faces a travel ban. | |
Mr Rajab, a Shia Muslim and head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, last appeared in court on 16 May. | Mr Rajab, a Shia Muslim and head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, last appeared in court on 16 May. |
Since February 2011, Bahrain's government and Sunni ruling royal family have faced fierce opposition from mainly Shia activists. | Since February 2011, Bahrain's government and Sunni ruling royal family have faced fierce opposition from mainly Shia activists. |
Bahrain's monarchy has made concessions, but not enough to satisfy protesters. Bahraini security forces have repeatedly clashed with protesters. | Bahrain's monarchy has made concessions, but not enough to satisfy protesters. Bahraini security forces have repeatedly clashed with protesters. |